Standing-desk attachment for roll-top desks.



A. HOWE. STANDING DESK ATTACHMENT FOR ROLL TOP DESKS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE25, 1910.

1 094 208 Patented Apr. 21, 191 1 9 a I 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

FIG4 8 7 FlG.5.7 5 4 10' /0 m @w A9 fig WITNESSES COLUMBIA PLANDGRAPHcO.,\vAsH|NuTO D. c.

A. J. HOWE.

STANDING DESK ATTACHMENT FOR ROLL TOP DESKS. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 25,1910.

1,094,208, Patented Apr. 21, 191% 2' SHEBTSSHEET 2.

FIG.8.

FIG.9. /8 9 WITNESSES F INVENTOR m ARTHUR J. nown,

0F PITTSBURGH,

PENNSYLVANIA.

STANDING-DESK ATTACHMENT FOB, ROLL-TOP DESKS.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ARTHUR J. HOWE, a resident of Pittsburgh, in thecounty of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain newand useful Improvements in Standing-Desk Attachments for Roll-Top Desks,of which the following is a specification.

The object of this invention is to provide a simple and efficientfolding top-forming attachment for a desk, particularly a rolltop desk,whereby upon extending the attachment a high or standing desk isprovided, this being accomplished by simply pulling outwardly theattachment from its folded position. With a desk thus equipped itsoccupant may either stand or sit as he prefers or as the character ofthe work in hand may make most convenient.

While the attachment is designed primarily to provide a frontwardlyextensible top-forming portion above the usual table portion of thedesk, it may be so applled as to unfold in a rearward direction and thusin no way interfere with the main table portion of the desk, thusproviding its occupant with working room at which he may either sit orstand as best suits his convenience.

A characteristic of the invention is a novel swinging support for theextended top portion, the same being connected to the top and to theoutside of the desk and always in position for the top to either unfoldor fold up, this without interfering in any way with the operation ofthe desk roll.

In the accompanying drawings, Figures 1 and 2 are end elevations of theupper portion of a roll-top desk, the attachment being shown folded orcontracted in Fig. 1, and unfolded or extended in Fig. 2. Fig. 3 is afront elevation of the desk with the attachment extended as in Fig. 2.Fig. 4 is a cross-section of the attachment in position on the desk,taken on line 4- 1 of Fig. 5, and Fig. 5 is an edge view of a portion ofthe attachment when folded as in Fig. 1, one end thereof being shown insection. Fig. 6 is a detail of one of the clips for holding theattachment in position. Fig. 7 is a detail of the clamp for securing thelower end of one of the swinging arms to the desk ledge. Figs. 8 and 9are views similar to Figs. 1 and 2, illustrating the attachment soapplied as to extend from the rear of the desk. Fig. 10 is a detail ofone of the extensible Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed June 25, 1910.

Patented Apr. 21, 1914.

Serial No. 568,822.

slides employed in the construction of Figs. 8 and 9, together with thesupporting clips therefor.

Referring to the drawings, 2 designates the table of an ordinaryroll-top desk, the ends of which project to form the usual externalledges 3.

4 is the cabinet portion of the desk above table 2, and 5 is the topboard thereof which comprises the flat top surface of the desk.

The supplemental top-forming attachment consists of a series ofleaf-like sections movably connected together, with means for supportingthe same in extended position. In the present adaptation three suchsections are here shown. The inner or first section 6 is ofsubstantially the same size as desk top 5 and lies flat thereon with itsunder face preferably surfaced with felt or other nonscratchlng material6. The second section 7 of the extensible part is hinged at 7 to alongitudinal edge of section 6, and the third section 8 is hinged at 8to the outer edge of section 7. The hinges are so arranged that when theparts are folded, the top of section 7 turns downward on section 6, andthe upper face of section 8 constitutes the top surface of the foldedpack, and provides a finished top for the desk when the attachment isnot extended. The longitudinal edge of section 6 opposite hinges 7carries the raised molding 9 which with corresponding moldings 1.0 and10 011 section 8 box in or inclose the sections and provide theattachment with an attractive edge when the parts are folded, as shownin Fig. 1. The first section 6 may be variously secured to the desk top.The means here shown consists of the hook-like plates 11, notched on oneedge at 11, with one or another of the notches engaging a pin 12 securedin the depression 6 in the under face of section 6. The attachment isthus securely held, and at the same time may be readily removed.

Longitudinally extensible arms, preferably of telescoping form, areprovided for sustaining the front or extended portion of thesupplemental top, the upper section 13 of each arm being of rod form andhaving a moving fit in the tubular arm 14, such parts being shown squarein cross-section in preference to being round, thereby increasing thestiffness of the structure without retarding the telescopic movement.The upper ends of arms 13 are hinged at 13 to the outer edge of topsection 8, and while the lower ends of the tubular arms 14 may bevariously secured to the desk, I prefer to hinge each at 1st to theyoke-like clamp 15, adapted to embrace ledge 8, to which it is securedat any desired distance from the end of the ledge by screw 16. Toprevent shock when extending or unfolding the attachment the lower endsof arms 13 may engage the cushioning springs 17 confined in the tubulararms, as shown in Fig. 7.

The extensible or telescopic arms afford the necessary play incident tofolding and unfolding the top-forming attachment, and being at theoutside of the desk ends are entirely out of the way. Clamps 15 may beadjusted either backward or forward with reference to the front edge ofthe desk top for increasing or decreasing the inclination of theextended portion, as will be readily seen by referring to Fig. 2.

The hinged strip 18 may be raised from a groove or slot in base section6, as in Fig. 2, this strip in conjunction with molding 9 forming aconvenient support for book, etc. The attachment is readily manipulatedbv means of handle 19 secured to the front of section 8, the attachmentraising and readily unfolding in outward direction, with the supportingarms swinging outward and firmly sustaining the extended portion.

In the adaptation shown in Figs. 8 and 9, the folding extensibleattachment is the same as that shown in Figs. 1 and 2, its positionbeing simply reversed on top 5 for the purpose of projecting theextensible top from the rear of the desk instead of fronttical lineintersecting the hinges connecting sections 6 and 7 and in theadaptation of Figs. 1 and 2 it will be noted that clamps 15 aresimilarly positioned relatively to hinges 7. To secure a like result forthe backwardly extending desk top, arms 13 14 are hinged to bars 20,formed preferably of light angle iron, as shown in Fig. 10, and movingthrough the loop-like clips 21 and 22 secured to the under surface ofledges 3, the lower edge of each bar being notched at 20 to obtain asecure hold on loops 28 of the clips, the bars being of suflicientlength so that they may project more or less as desired for varying theinclination of the extended top, and several notches 20 being providedfor obtaining a secure hold in each position.

I claim 2- 1. The combination of a desk, a series of leaf-like sectionshinged together for folding one on top of the other and for unfolding inextended top-forming relation, means for securing one of the sections tothe desk top, supports at the exterior of the desk for the extendedsections, each support consisting of upper and lower 1nembersone freelymovable longitudinally of the other, a hinge connecting the uppersupport member to one of the extensible sections, and a hinge connectionbetween the lower support member and the exterior of the desk, saidlatter connections being similarly positioned in either position of theattachment, and means for adjusting the last mentioned hinge connectiontoward and from the front of the desk.

2. The combination of a. roll-top desk having projecting ledges at itsends, a supplemental top consisting of leaf like sections hingedtogether and adapted to fold into compact relation on the desk top withmeans for securing the attachment in position,

arms for supporting the opposite ends of the top-forming portion whenextended, each arm formed in telescoping sections with the upper end ofthe arm hinged to an extensible section of the supplemental top, andledge-engaging clamps to which the lower ends of the arms are hinged,said clamps being similarly located in either position of the sections.

3. A supplemental desk attachment comprising a base section, means forsecuring said section to the top of a desk, molding projecting upwardlyfrom a longitudinal edge of the base section, movable sections hingedtogether and to the opposite longitudinal edge of the base section, themovable sections folding together on top of the base section, andmolding carried by the movable portion of the attachment and cooperatingwith the molding on the fixed section to provide an inclosing edgefinish for the attachment when folded.

4. A supplemental desk attachment comprising a series of movablyconnected extensible leaf-like sections adapted to fold together one ontop of the other, a strip hinged to turn upwardly on the lowermostsection, the strip extending longitudinally of said section andpositioned forwardly from the rear edge of the latter, and a moldingextending upwardly from the rear edge of the lowermost section againstwhich the other leaf-like sections fold, said strip and moldingcooperating to form a book support.

5. The combination with a roll-top desk having projecting end ledges atthe juncture of the desk proper and the roll-top portion, of asupplemental top formed in sections hinged together and adapted tounfold in extended relation and fold one on top of the other on the desktop, means socuring one section of the supplemental top to the top ofthe desk, and longitudinally extensible supports wholly outside the deskand hinged at their upper ends to the supplemental top and at theirlower ends to the said end ledges, the lower end connection beingrelatively fixed in similar location in either position of the sections.

6. The combination of: a roll-top desk, a supplemental top thereforformed in sections hinged together and adapted to fold one on top of theother on the desk top, swinging longitudinally extensible supportshinged at their upper ends to the supple mental top and at their lowerends having a hinge connection to the exterior of the desk, each supportconsisting of a tubular memher and a rod member with the latter freelymovable in the tubular member when folding and unfolding thesupplemental top, and means for adjusting the hinge connections for thelower ends of the supports for varying the inclination of thesupplemental top when unfolded.

In testimony whereof I aifix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

ARTHUR J. HOWE. Witnesses:

J. W. NESBIT, F. E. GAITHER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. 0.

